A30243:1372
Spiritual refining
Spiritual refining: or A treatise of grace and assurance Wherein are handled, the doctrine of assurance. The use of signs in self-examination. How true graces may be distinguished from counterfeit. Several true signs of grace, and many false ones. The nature of grace under divers Scripture notions or titles, as regeneration, the new-creature, the heart of flesh, vocation, sanctification, &c. Many chief questions (occasionally) controverted between the orthodox and the Arminians. As also many cases of conscience. Tending to comfort and confirm saints. Undeceive and convert sinners. Being CXX sermons preached and now published by Anthony Burgess sometime fellow of Emanuel College in Cambridge, and now pastor of the church of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire.Spiritual refining: or A treatise of grace and assurance Wherein are handled, the doctrine of assurance. The use of signs in self-examination. How true graces may be distinguished from counterfeit. Several true signs of grace, and many false ones. The nature of grace under divers Scripture notions or titles, as regeneration, the new-creature, the heart of flesh, vocation, sanctification, &c. Many chief questions (occasionally) controverted between the orthodox and the Arminians. As also many cases of conscience. Tending to comfort and confirm saints. Undeceive and convert sinners. Being CXX sermons preached and now published by Anthony Burgess sometime fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and now pastor of the church of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire.
London: printed by A. Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1652
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A TREATISE OF GRACE and ASSURANCE; Being CXX. SERMONS. › Section 7 › Sermon 50
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
9. Grace doth confirm and settle the soul, in that it is both defensive and offensive. 1Defensive, against all that outward strength which combineth against grace in the heart: The Apostle saith, We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers in high places, Ephes. 6. 12. implying, that the greatest strength in hell and earth is employed against the godly; now grace only conquers this. Resist, steadfast in the faith, saith the Apostle; and Ephes. 6. you may see how particular graces, are compared to particular defensive weapons, some to an Helmet, some to a Breast-plate: That as sin is said to make a man naked in the Scripture, Exod. 32. 15, it exposeth him to all judgements, and he hath not so much as one gourd to keep him from the scorching heat of the Sun. So there is a [Greek or Hebrew], an universal Armour to cover all the parts of a man by grace; therefore our graces are called The weapons of Light, Rom. 13. 12. and take we head, lest as Saul in his sleep had his weapons of war taken from him, so thou by carelessness and negligence doest not dull and blunt the edge of thy graces. As they are defensive, so they are Offensive also: Hence the Scripture commands us to kill, to mortify and crucify sin, which is done by grace within us. The people of God are in a continual combat and conflict, an humble heart with a proud, and a dull heart with a willing quickened heart: Here is fire and water together, Twins struggling in his womb, 1 John 1. 4. Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world; Grace therefore being the seed of God in the heart, doth at last conquer all adverse power of sin and Satan; so that Samsons strength in subduing enemies is not so wonderful, as the gracious strength of a godly man, in conflicting with lusts. Hebr. 11. The people of God are said of weak to become strong; and indeed if you consider the inward temptations from Satan, and the outward persecutions in the world, you would think that they were made of brass and iron, that they can endure so much: O the spiritual fortitude and courage of the Martyrs, transcending all the humane valour and gallantry of the Romans, that it should not be any longer said, Agere & pati fortia Romanum est, but Christianum.